Fire Crews Contain Fire to One Apartment Unit

PULLMAN--Pullman and Whitman County firefighters kept the damage from a smoldering fire Sunday evening to one apartment unit at 405 SE Jordan Road on Pullman's Pioneer Hill.

Fire crews were dispatched to the call at the Pioneer Hill Apartments just before 10 p.m. and, as the first crew arrived, they could see plenty of smoke pouring from the structure. Captain Eric Reiber said the fire was confined to apartment unit 4 on the ground floor of a four-story building, which they were told was the manager's apartment. No occupant was in the unit at the time of the fire and the fire was officially out in less than a half-hour.

The firefighters that made the initial entry into the smoke filled living room said they encountered lots of smoke but hardly any flames. They said the apartment was filled with lots of possessions which slowed the firefighter down as they attempted to find the source of the fire.

Acting Chief Mike Heston said that because this was the weekend before the start of the fall semester at Washington State University, the department added plenty of staff for the number of calls they normally receive during this traditionally busy weekend.

Pullman Fire Prevention Officer Rich Dragoo said that he would be working through the night to determine the cause of the fire and the amount of damage.